Collection of Incoming correspondence and Manuscripts on American involvement in World War One - The Purpose of Which Was to Sway American Public Opinion on Entering the War on the Side of Britain and the Allies.

Collection of Incoming correspondence and Manuscripts on American involvement in World War One - The Purpose of Which Was to Sway American Public Opinion on Entering the War on the Side of Britain and the Allies.

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by Maxwell, Perriton (1868-1947) American editor, author and artist

No Binding. Very Good. Collection includes 16 letters, totaling 25 pages, 5 manuscripts totaling 28 pages and 12 typescripts totaling 29 pages Perriton Maxwell, born Amos Perriton Maxwell, was an editor with William Randolph Hearst's syndicate of papers and magazines. After the sinking of the Lusitania and the Arabic, Maxwell sent a circular letter, in the summer of 1915, to various British civil servants, politicians, and ex-military and naval men asking a series of four questions concerning British thoughts on American involvement in the war. The questions were: 1. To What extent, in your opinion can America retain her future neutrality, if we assume Germany's satisfactory apology, or full agreement with the demands of President Wilson? 2. Does the British nation care whether America remains neutral or joins the Allies in their present work of crushing Germany? 3. Would the British Empire benefit one way or the other if America went to war with Germany? And - 4. What of the future of America should Germany conceivably be able to dictate or arrive at terms of peace, or in any way bring about a condition where arbitration with their enemy would have to be resorted to by the allies? Maxwell sent his queries after the sinking of the Lusitania on May 7, 1915, and the lesser known sinking of the SS Arabic on August 19, 1915. The material offered in this collection contains the responses, including correspondence, and typescript carbons of material submitted to Maxwell by various individuals on American involvement in World War 1. The responses range from succinct letters to thoughtful, highly detailed, essay length answers. Maxwell, through his employer, the Hearst syndicate, was evidently seeking to influence American opinion in favor of entering the war on the side of Britain and the Allies against Germany. There are typescript carbons of the manuscript submissions, with editorial comment by Maxwell. Pieces that did not favor American involvement were, evidently, ignored. These were likely used in some published format by the Hearst organization, either in one of their magazines or newspapers. Sample Quotations: Bellairs, Carlyon, Autograph Note Signed, August 8, [1915], London, with ten page manuscript on American Involvement in World War One "The interpretation of general feeling in Great Britain is one which a seasoned politician is very chary of attempting if he can profit by experience and remember the history of his country. In the American Civil War, John Stuart Mill and John Bright were true exponents of our public feeling, and yet the precise contrary was believed by many intelligent observers. It will often be found that while the predominant press, Society and the clubs hold one view, a general election will prove the public to hold the contrary view. . It is not necessary for me to state the case or to appear to take sides by quoting present day criticisms. The conditions were fairly presented by Colonel Roosevelt in his Presidential message to Congress on December 6th, 1904: " . a self-respecting, just and far-seeing nation . should keep prepared while scrupulously avoiding wrong doing itself, to repel any wrong, and in exceptional cases to take action, which in a more advanced stage of international relations would come under the head of the exercise of the international police . A great, free people owes it to itself and to all mankind not to sink into helplessness before the powers of evil." . Both Admiral Dewey and the late Admiral Mahan some years ago drew the attention of Americans to the German threat against the Monroe Doctrine and, I think, Mahan cited as an example the possibility of a portion of Brazil detaching itself under Teutonic auspices from the Brazilian republic. To the military appetite, the obstacle to all aggression on the West is the maritime Power of the islands which, as Emerson pointed out, are anchored at the gateway of Europe in a way England's best Admiral could not have improved upon. T (Inventory #: 030113)

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